Precancerous Lesions
There are several treatments your health care professional may use for your actinic keratosis. Choice of treatment depends on the extent and location of the precancerous lesions.
-
Medical
Topical chemotherapy
- Uses chemotherapy agents, like 5-fluorouracil (Efudex, Carac), to treat precancerous cells.
- Topical immunomodulators
- Imiquimod (Aldara) is a recently FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved topical cream that may stimulate an immune response against precancerous cells.
- Topical anti-inflammatory agents
- Diclofenac (Solaraze) is another recently FDA approved topical gel that may eliminate some actinic keratoses over a 90-day treatment period.
Surgical
Cryotherapy
- Precancerous lesions are frozen and destroyed with liquid nitrogen.
- Curettage and Electrodesiccation
- Precancerous lesions are scraped away with a curette, a semi-sharp, scoop-shaped instrument. The area is then cauterized with an electric needle to control bleeding and treat any remaining precancerous cells.
Laser
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
- Combines a drug (called a photosensitizer) with a specific type of light to treat precancerous cells.
Resurfacing
- A laser is used to remove or destroy precancer cells.
